An open letter to Sen. Sanders:
Bernie,
My truck is covered in Bernie stickers. I contribute to your campaign monthly. I want to do more for your campaign. I think you are our best hope for U.S. President.
BUT, I can’t understand your support for (or lack of opposition to) the natural gas pipeline through Addison County. You are cited as a hero in New Hampshire for opposing a pipeline there. Do we need an early primary in Vermont for you to come out against this long-term commitment to a fossil fuel that is worse for the climate than coal? The Public Service Board has an out by stopping with the already done 11-mile “reliability section” of the project and rejecting the hugely irrational extension through Addison County.
This touches a lot of your issues: Big corporations pushing folks around. Government siding with multinational corporations against local citizens. Climate change. Power to the people (the opposition to this project is a huge grassroots effort of the sort of “revolution” you are calling for). Renewable energy. The list goes on.
A short public statement would help a lot.
Ron Slabaugh
Middlebury